Expanded Metal To Innovate With Epicor ERP

AUSTIN, Texas and LONDON, April 02, 2014

Unlike Other Solutions, Epicor Showed It had Manufacturing in Its DNA

Epicor Software Corporation, a global leader in business software solutions for manufacturing, distribution, retail and services organisations, today announced that The Expanded Metal Company Limited, part of the Gibraltar Industries Inc. group, and a global manufacturer of expanded mesh products to a wide range of industries, has selected the Epicor next-generation enterprise resource planning (ERP) solution to replace its existing ERP software and support its international operations.

Expanded Metal has been manufacturing mesh-based metal products for more than 120 years at its site in Hartlepool, and also has a state-of-the-art production facility in Hannover, Germany. Unlike many companies in its industry, Expanded Metal has used an ERP system to manage its full quote-to-cash cycle for over 20-years. As ERP software evolved, the product it was using has become out-of-date and is now a risk to the business, as the complexity of its products demand more than its feature-set can support.

“The solution we currently use is no longer supported by the software vendor and has not been updated for some time,” said John Charlton, Finance Director and project lead for Expanded Metal. “It became time for us to look at a system that would allow us to deal with the value-add manufacturing services that we offer, as we move away from being a commodity business, and used more advanced production scheduling techniques.”

The new solution needed to provide sales, finance, production, CRM, manufacturing and supply chain support for the company, on a single consistent platform, while ensuring adherence to all local financial regulations. Expanded Metal started by reviewing the top tier ERP solution used by its parent company, but didn't feel it could meet its needs cost effectively. Following a review of the wider market, Epicor ERP was selected because of its ease of use and versatile manufacturing features which were available out-of-the-box.

“We've become a business that provides complex products to demanding markets such as the automotive and architectural industries,” added Charlton. “They require efficient manufacturing and supply chain processes, as well as particular attention to quality control and traceability. Epicor will give us all of these features, and has manufacturing in its DNA - we didn't get that feeling from the other products we reviewed.”

“Companies need to have the right technology in place, not just for today, but for tomorrow - it must react and evolve with the company's needs,” said Steve Winder, regional vice president for Epicor in the UK and Ireland. “Technology-led change is an essential part of allowing companies to innovate, and that has been the finding of our recent Inspired to Make It research. Technology innovation was seen as critical to the future of manufacturing success, with 98% saying change had to happen, and 57% saying high levels of innovation were required. Technology such as Epicor ERP plays a key role in enabling and inspiring that innovation if embraced across a company's operations.”

About Epicor Software Corporation

Epicor Software Corporation is a global leader delivering inspired business software solutions to the manufacturing, distribution, retail and services industries. With over 40 years of experience serving small, midmarket and larger enterprises, Epicor has more than 20,000 customers in over 150 countries. Epicor enterprise resource planning (ERP), retail management software, supply chain management (SCM), and human capital management (HCM) enable companies to drive increased efficiency and improve profitability. With a history of innovation, industry expertise and passion for excellence, Epicor provides the single point of accountability that local, regional and global businesses demand. The Company's headquarters are located in Austin, Texas, with offices and affiliates worldwide. For more information, visit www.epicor.com.

Epicor and the Epicor logo are trademarks of Epicor Software Corporation, registered in the United States and other countries. Other trademarks referenced are the property of their respective owners. The product and service offerings depicted in this document are produced by Epicor Software Corporation.

Cookies are important to the proper functioning of a site. To improve your experience, Epicor uses cookies to remember log-in details and provide secure log-in, collect statistics to optimize site functionality, and deliver content tailored to your interests. Click ‘agree and proceed’ to accept cookies and go directly to the site, or click on our terms of use and privacy policy for more information.